"This is the only path that is left."
I know that Lynn's decision is controversial among those observing overseas. Still, whatever one may think of it individually, it's very important to at least take the time to understand the context of where he is coming from. Of the hundreds of people I’ve spoken to since the coup broke, no guest taught me as much and made me reflect to the extent that Lynn did. A lifelong pacifist who worked on the peace process for decades, he describes his devastating journey in becoming a leader in the resistance movement, and one of the most wanted men on the Tatmadaw’s list.
“So we can’t find the solution to all these problems externally. If it is not possible, then we must find it internally, and due to the constraints and challenges, we have to choose fighting as the all the only option left.”
“If we had a different alternative, that's not going to be this costly and challenging, we would have embraced it!
There's none. This is the only path that is left.
I mean, look at our country's history: 1958, 1962, 1988, 2007. The leading countries in the global community, they preach the sermon of democracy, protecting human rights, equality and equity… all those themes. And these messages have reached to us, and so we hold those values in our hearts.
And when these very values, the core of human existence gets shaken by a handful of tyrants who are oppressing over 50 million people, and there's nothing the world can do, except issue statements and express their grave concern, and impose sanctions.
But my understanding is that wealth and comfort is relative, so if you are the absolute authoritarian in a country, your relative wealth is going to be much greater than the rest of the population. So after raising millions of dollars in their offshore accounts… we’re not a threat to the kingly lifestyle. Their social status within their own country has not changed. They're still the richest people with the most money! And so imposing sanctions alone, it won’t change them!
So we feel as if the international community has decided, and then they preach their sermons, and when we are fighting for these values that they have preached, they have decided there is nothing that they can really do! It's a shame.
If the international community, and the people outside, are talking about dialogue, or getting a solution to this political problem by means of dialogue, well, we love dialogue! But on what grounds? Do we have a dialogue with the SAC, and do we talk about democracy? Do we talk about the Federal Union, do we talk about equality? Do we talk about granting human rights to all people in Myanmar? What do we talk about? Do we talk about separating this power with them? What do we talk about? So if this advice and these suggestions are provided, please think about the local context! Do you think the SAC wants to talk? Do people think they want to negotiate?
So we can’t find the solution to all these problems externally. If it is not possible, then we must find it internally, and due to the constraints and challenges, we have to choose fighting as the all the only option left. So my response to such criticism is, ‘Please try to know a bit more about Myanmar. Try to understand the context and the difficulty that we are facing every day. In order for us to break free from it, we must act.’ The global community, as much as they want to help, they are unable to help due to the global political system. It’s a shame, really, it's a shame.”